Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Response made that above statement while presiding over the 17h meeting of the Committee on September 13.

The meeting, held in in-person and virtual format, saw the participation of President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Do Van Chien, Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Communication and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and Acting Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, among others.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control presides over the 17h meeting of the Committee, Ha Noi, September 13., 2022 - Photo: VGP

The Ministry of Health reported that over 11.4 million COVID-19 infection cases have documented in the country, including 10.3 million recovered cases (90.2 percent of the national caseload) and more than 43,000 deaths (accounting for 0.38 percent).

In August alone, the nation recorded 72,324 new infection and 24 fatalities, up 2.4 times and 18 times compared to the previous month, respectively. The number of new COVID-19 cases tends to increase over the recent days.

Sub-variants BA.4, BA.5 and BA.2.74 have been detected in Viet Nam, with BA.5 dominant in the country at present.

As of September 11, as many as 258.7 million vaccine doses were administered in the country. Nearly all people aged over 12 have received the first and second doses.

The number of people aged from 12 to under 18 inoculated with  the third dose accounted for 77 percent and 55.2 percent, respectively, doubling the world's average level (28 percent).

Children aged from 5-under 12 getting the first and second shots of COVID-19 made up 85.8 percent and 57.6 percent, respectively.